


The Rise of Solo

by DelierSense



Series: The Rise of Solo [1]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Post-Canon Fix-It, Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 13:02:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21969727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DelierSense/pseuds/DelierSense
Summary: Post TROS Fix-it-fic where Ben Solo lives and has to face the consequences of Kylo Ren. Rey must figure out her place within the Resistance as well as with her forcemate and what the dyad mean to the rest of the galaxy and it's force users.This starts off with...Kylo Ren being dead, but Ben Solo is still very much alive and in need of a way to get to Rey. And his ride there happens to be the one ship he spent years trying to forget.The dyad (forcemates) must take on the Emperor together to save what they love and prevent him from harming anyone else.Rey is not a Palpatine, like Ben, who was targeted when young but her parents sacrificed themselves to save her. When left on Jakku she somehow cut herself off from the force until TFA. Palpatine feared the dyad and their power which is why he tried to destroy them.
Relationships: Kylo Ren & Rey, Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo
Series: The Rise of Solo [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1581523
Comments: 9
Kudos: 35





	1. Be With Me

Kylo Ren is dead…

The image of his father was no longer in front of him when he opens his eyes again, but he could still feel them, he always felt them within his heart.

Kylo Ren is dead…. He died the moment his lightsaber struck Han down. Or was he ever even real? Was he just an imagination that Snoke… no... Palpatine created? The torment he felt his whole life! The push and pull from the light and dark, the need to have to choose. And Palpatine made him believe the dark side was the more powerful, that the dark side was the one he had no choice but to choose. But something in him never allowed himself to completely give in. He could never actually become a sith. He had too much of his father in him, too much of his uncle in him, too much of his mother in him… 

Kylo Ren is dead… the last of him died when Rey killed him with his own lightsaber. Who she saved and healed was Ben Solo. 

The waves crashed violently, as violent as his tormented past. But that was in the past, let the past die… Maybe he couldn’t be forgiven but he could still do some good in his life. He used to have dreams of Darth Vader sacrificing himself for the light, of his grandfather Anakin, he had thought it was a test, the darkness testing him. Now he saw his path was clear. Han was right, Kylo Ren is dead but Ben Solo has never been so alive. He had let Palpatine torment him and ruin his family. Kylo Ren had been weak, but Ben Solo… Ben Solo was strong enough to do what he needed to do. He would not let the Emperor hurt Rey too. Maybe it was too late for him but it wasn’t too late for Rey. And just as a wave crashed and soaked him, he felt it… that resolve that Han helped him see. The love that he and his mother tried so desperately to reach him with, the love that he felt for…

_‘You know what you have to do Ben, and you do have the strength to do it.’_ His eyes widen as the strange and new... yet familiar voice that echoed within him. 

Another wave crashed against the cliff but now it was beautiful, peaceful. Inhaling deeply as he turns to glance around, the ex-Supreme Leader stalks off to find a way off this planet, he needed to get to Rey before she faced Palpatine. He would not let her face him alone. Ben Solo, the last Skywalker would finish what Anakin started...

Just then he hears a familiar sound, glancing up, he sees it… The ship he spent years trying to forget, the ship that was once his home, the Falcon. His whole body seemed to tense and as much as he wanted to turn and go the opposite way he doesn’t. Ben walks towards the Falcon with a new kind of determination. He stops as the ramp comes down, his face hardening as he sees Chewie appear, and to his shock, Lando appears beside the tall Wookie. 

“Need a lift?” The pilot grins softly. 

Ben’s lower lip trembles as he looks at them both, they should both hate him, want him dead, want revenge for… He looks at Chewie and he can’t stop the tears that blur his vision. He opens his mouth to try and say anything, but nothing came out. And then suddenly Chewie was right in front of him, placing a hand on his shoulder. And that is all it took, for him to lower his head as he lets out his tears in silence. The pain of not knowing how he could ever start to atone for his sins seemed so overwhelming until Chewie hugs him tightly. Ben let’s out a pained chuckle as he lets himself be enveloped in the bone-crushing hug. But he couldn’t shake the guilt, the paint he’s lived with since the day he killed his father. The nightmares, even the dreams of his father telling him over and over again that he is forgiven.

“I’m sorry… I… I don’t deserve your forgiveness, I never will. I’ll never deserve you back in my life but I do need help to save Rey.” He slowly pulls away. Chewie who was beside his father since he could remember, who helped raise him, comforted him when his parents fought, covered for him so he wouldn’t get scolded, who loved him just as much as Han had. 

There were so many things to talk about, to apologize for but they didn’t have time.

Ben shakes his head when Chewie only hugs him again, telling him he’s suffered enough for what he’s done. Chewie then gently grabs Ben’s face as he speaks softly. 

“Chewie is right, we’ve lost enough Skywalkers and friends, don’t let your family’s sacrifices go to waste, let’s go save your Jedi then. We’re on our way back from recruiting help, the rest of the backup will be following our coordinates.” Lando ushers them into the Falcon. And he was right there was no time to waste, so Ben tries to push back the nostalgia of being back in this ship. Being back home… The home he always wanted to live on and one day own, where he saw his father and Chewie live most happily, where his father taught him how to fly and how to repair, where Chewie taught him how to play Dejarik, where Lando taught him how to gamble and play cards, and his father only encouraged it, where he had wanted to spend his days growing up. Ben Solo follows them quickly into the Falcon and with their permission he goes into the cockpit. 

“I know how to get to Exogol.” 

“Then by all means.” Lando sits in the co-pilot seat. 

Ben looks over at Chewie who nods. This shouldn’t be as difficult as it was. He never thought he’d be flying this piece of … he didn’t even let himself finish the sentence. There was no time for this! 

Ben Solo sits down in the pilot’s seat of the Millenium Falcon and he’s home. This was home, a new wave of resolve washes over him, he’d pay for his sins eventually, but right now he’d enjoy being home and he’d focus on the most important thing in his life, saving his dyad in the Force. The one who helped Ben Solo find his voice again, she deserved to live a happy life even if he did not. He could still help save the day... Finally Ben Inhales deeply before quickly inputting the coordinates and sending them flying up into space. 

_‘Hold on Rey, I’m coming!’_

\-------

It’d be so easy to give in to her hatred, into her pain, not the pain she’s endured but the pain Ben, Han, Luke, and Leia have endured. Now she was facing Palpatine, the one responsible for her parents’ deaths. They sacrificed themselves so that he could not find her and kill her because she was a threat to him. For some reason, her power was a threat to him… If Ben Solo had stayed in the light he too would have been a threat. How many more people will suffer at the hands of the Emperor? No more! She will give her life if she must. 

But did she stand a chance alone? She glanced up at the few Resistance ships above. She has led her friends to their doom as well. Tears blurred her vision and she hated it but she felt like giving up. She was exhausted but she knew she couldn’t just give up. Her friends, Luke, Han, and Leia believed in her, even Kylo Ren reminded her constantly of her power. 

And then she feels it, a familiar silence and warm sensation spreading throughout her body. She wasn’t alone… and it was not Kylo Ren who has come to help her. Rey stands straight and faces the Emperor. “I’m never alone.” She pulls out Leia’s lightsaber with one hand, while the other hand, she has behind her back, and then the bond is opened, she feels Ben’s hand grab onto hers as he takes the lightsaber, she smiles softly and ignites hers, turning just in time to fight of the Emperor’s guards. She wasn’t even sure where they came from, but she had a newfound strength. He had come to help her. Ben Solo was here to help her! To save them! He had been her only hope for so long and just when she had given up hope, he shines brighter than ever. 

\---

Ben knew that he'd have his hands full when he saw the Knight Buzzard. His Knights of Ren were here, well they weren't his anymore. He slowly comes to a halt as the said Knights appear and surround him. 

"I always knew Ben Solo was hiding under that mask, pathetic." Vicrul growled. "After all we've been through and all we've done for Kylo Ren." 

Ben only gripped the blaster Lando gave him tightly in his hand. Betrayal, it felt odd to be the one doing the betraying. Ben was so used to people betraying him or using him. 

"You were the best of us, Kylo, why go back to the light now? Do you really think they can accept you like we can?" Ren stepped forward. The Knights of Ren had been there for him, they weren't a close or fluffy lot but they had been there when he needed them and did what he had asked without question. Suddenly he's reminded of his departure from the Jedi temple. 

"I have bigger things I need to take care of. You should all leave this place, for once just do whatever it is you want." Ben speaks calmly as he glances around at all of them. 

"We are dark side users Kylo, unlike you who's always been conflicted with the light. There is nothing else but this, and the Emperor has promised us more power than you could ever dream of!" Vicrul snarled. 

"Well alright then." Ben shakes his head and sighs shrugging his shoulders as he suddenly shoots at Ushar then at Trudgen. Both fall and the rest attack him. He feels light, faster than usual. Free from his cape and mask, from the darkness supressing him. But still his blaster and his wits are not enough against other force users. 

Ren lands a good hit to his face, Vicrul takes advantage to kick him in the side. Ben stumbles and then stands straight when everything gets quiet... The warmth that starts in his chest then spreads was all too familiar now. He smirks and holds his hand behind him, feeling Rey's hand as she hands him the legacy lightsaber. 

Igniting it, the dark area is then illuminated by the bright blue light. Ben holds his hands out, shrugging again at them as if saying was that all they got? It doesn't have to be this way but if they want it, he'll make them regret getting in his way. 

They rush at him having made up their minds, and he is ready. The legacy lightsaber feels light and natural in his hand. His movements are faster, more fluid than Kylo Ren's, more precise and even more elegant. He feels free... His powers feel stronger than ever and he knows it's also because of how close he was to Rey. 

  
Rey needs him. 

He needed to end this fast! Spinning the blue lightsaber in his hand he stabs it through one of the Ren's chest then swings at the one that sneaks up from behind.

\----------

Once Rey defeats them all she turns around to see him, Ben Solo walking towards her. And at that moment he was the most beautiful person she had ever seen. She could feel his force, so powerful and bright. She had thought Kylo Ren was strong, no Kylo Ren had been a child suppressing his true powers. Ben Solo, the last Skywalker was the most powerful person she’d ever meet. Rey smiles and he nods at her, then both turn to face Palpatine and raise their blue lightsabers in unison. Ben with the legacy lightsaber and Rey with Leia’s. 

“Ah, the most powerful dyad the Force has ever seen. Through you, I will regain my power!” The emperor yelled as he shot his hands towards them. Rey gasped as she was suddenly frozen in place, she could feel her life force leaving her, she turns to see Ben in the same state. No…. She struggles against it but it was no use, Ben too seems to be trying to break free, her hand reaches towards his and she tries to catch his gaze, once she does, she looks down at her hand, within seconds she feels his hand grasp hers. Feeling his strength fill her was almost overwhelming but also freeing! Like this was how they were meant to feel the force, together! Using each other’s strength the dyad finally breaks free, panting and trying to regain themselves, they waste no time in putting their guard up again.

Rey glances at Ben one more time before charging forward, the Emperor jumps out of the way only to find Ben already inches away from bringing his lightsaber down upon them. He’s shoved back and Rey uses this chance to rush forward again, lightsaber over her head as she nears the Emperor, but then she feels Ben force push her back, just as force lightning is shot towards her. Rolling back towards Ben, she pants as she struggles to get up. Feeling Ben’s arm around her she leans into him as he helps her. 

And they stand tall again, lightsabers ready, both drained of much of their life force but together they could still do this. Rey now realized that together they could do anything. The dyad rushes forward again only to be sent flying back by force lightning. She screams when Ben goes flying off a cliff, yelping in pain when she feels him through the bond hitting a rock and then nothing. She sees black and red as she rushes towards Palpatine only to be force pushed back harshly, that cackle would haunt her dreams. Rey’s vision goes white as she hits the ground and rolls a few feet, disoriented and in pain, she tries to focus her eyesight, she could feel the remainder of her life force leaving her, she could not do this without Ben... But then she feels it, Ben’s light, she could still feel it! Laying there staring up at the sky, seeing all the explosions of the battle above, she senses death all around. Darkness all around…

But she focuses on Ben’s light, ever so slight, but there. 

“Be with me” She says softly.

“Be with me” She repeats. 

“Be with me, Ben.”

“Ben, be with me!”

“You’re my only hope…” 

\----

A hand suddenly appears from the edge of the cliff. Ben Solo groans as he hauls himself up and crawls towards Rey. His forcemate who’s life force was growing weaker and weaker. He had felt her call, and not even death would stop him from saving her. She was his light, his hope, the ease of pain that was his life. His life of torture and pain but she made all of that go away. She saw him, really saw him and did not fear his power. And he saw her, for the beautiful powerful being she was. She was meant to do good in this galaxy, meant for greatness because of her heart and light. Finally making it to her side, he grips her hand tightly. 

“I’m with you, Rey.” He pulls her into his lap. Rey tries to focus on him, tries to tell him to save his energy. But she can’t speak. She tries to protest as he places a hand on her and feels him giving up his already weaken life force to save her.

“As I said you’re coming together would be your undoing!” Emperor cackled as he finally approached them. 

  
  


“I’m with you, Rey.” Ben ignores the incoming danger to whisper into Rey’s ear before his remaining life force could disappear. If he gave her his life force, she could defeat him. He places his hand on her again and she grips it tightly.

“And I am with you, Ben.”

_“And we are with you both.”_

_“Rise Rey.”_

_“Rise Ben.”_

_“Rise!_

_“The Force is with you…”_

_“Always!”_

_“Ben.”_

_“Rey.”_

**_“Rise!”_ **

Anakin, Luke, Leia, Padmé, Obi-Wan, Yoda, Han, and so many other voices suddenly filled them, not only with force but with love and hope. They both slowly sat up as they felt the force stronger than ever within them. The dyad stood hand in hand, while their free hands shot out to their sides and called for their lightsabers. 

“FOOLS!” The Emperor shot his force lightning at them both with much more intensity than before, both instinctively held the lightsabers up in defense, blocking the lightning.

“I AM ALL OF THE SITH, YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME!” 

The dyad gritted their teeth as they held the assault, and even pushed forward, letting the force powers of all those who came before them, all who loved them to fuel their light and power. And most of all the bond, they completely opened the bond to each other, at this moment they were one, their powers were one. The Force like this was stronger than ever! 

“And we are….”

“ … all of the Jedi!”

And they pushed forward, crying out as they mustered all the force they could to send the lightening back towards the Emperor. 

He screamed as it hit him full force and suddenly he crumbled down onto the ground as dust. 

Rey and Ben both stumbled and fell. 

…..

All was quiet for some time, both their bodies lifeless. Then the voices were heard again. Telling them to get up, that their story was not yet over. 

Ben slowly comes to but when he turns his head to see Rey’s body lifeless beside him he sits up quickly. Grabbing her arm, he gently pulls her onto his lap. 

“Rey, be with me. Come on Rey.” He hugs her body, panic filling him, he can’t lose her! He won’t he will give up all his life force for her to live instead he grabs her face, his lower lip trembling but then he feels her light. He lets out a low sigh in relief when he then feels her breathing, feels her heart slowly becoming more steady. Ben hugs her tightly once more before pulling back to look at her face just as her eyes open. 

Rey quickly glances around and then grips Ben’s shoulders. 

“Ben…” She smiles and gently touches his face. He had come to save her…. Her eyes sting with the sudden tears that threaten to spill over. Happily laughing she grabs his face and pulls him into a kiss. 

A kiss he gladly leans into. A passionate yet gentle kiss, a kiss that allows them both to know exactly how they feel. How thankful they are to both be in each other’s arms at the moment. 

“Rey, I told you didn’t I? You’re not alone, I’ll always be with you when you need me.” 

“And I told you neither are you. I always need you, Ben.” Rey wraps her arms around his neck as she hugs him tightly, burying her face in his neck as he rubs her back soothingly. 

“I’ll always be with you.” They repeat to each other and laugh. Ben is the one to kiss her this time, a bit hesitantly until he realizes she does indeed want him to kiss her. He smiles against her lips as she digs her fingers through his hair. 

For once everything made sense. Rey was not alone, Ben finally knew who he was and there was balance in the Force. 

They were the balance in the Force, a scavenger girl…. and the pilot prince of Alderaan.

  
  
  
  



	2. Coming Back Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey arrive at the Resistance base and Rey has to convince Poe and Finn that they can trust Ben. 
> 
> Ben is also has a bittersweet reunion with Leia.

Both were exhausted and could barely get up. Rey tried to help Ben up but he stops her. 

“You need to get out of here, Rey. Go, your friends are probably waiting for you.” He tries to get up on his own.

“What? I’m not leaving you, Ben! We did this together and we are getting out of here together.” Rey affirms as she grabs his arm and places it around her, helping him stand. “My X-Wing isn’t too far from here.” 

He unfortunately or fortunately did not have the strength to argue. 

Their trek through the unstable planet to reach the X-Wing felt so long. Both were drained, especially Ben, but Rey was determined. Even when his weight seemed like it was too much, she held him against her, sighing in relief when the X-Wing was finally only a few feet away. 

Rey struggles but manages to get him into the X-Wing. “Ben…” She gently touches his face once he’s in the seat. “Hmm?” He tries to open his eyes. She can’t help but sigh in relief that he was still hanging on. But then she realizes she will have to sit in his lap to fly. 

Trying not to put too much weight on his injured leg she slowly sits. “Hey, I don’t want to hurt you…” 

Ben gently grips her waist as he stretches out his injured leg as much as he can in the compact ship. He holds her weight on his other thigh and assures her he’s fine. “You’re fine.” He mumbles and his eyes close again. He was so tired… 

Rey looks back at him one more time in concern but then focuses on getting them out of there. 

\-----

Rey was so relieved when they finally landed in Ajan Kloss. Ben, on the other hand, was tense, his injuries only making it all worse. 

“Rey… I shouldn’t be here.” He grunts as she tries to help him out of the X-Wing. 

“Of course you should be here.” She reassures him with a gentle smile. “No one knows who you are anyway. Not without the mask…” 

“They do.” He tenses as Finn and Poe rush up to them. Ben has to steady himself when they pull Rey away from him, hugging her tightly and making sure she was alright. He just watches as they embrace her, tears and all. And he feels her emotions, the relief that goes through her to see her friends again. 

Rey was relieved! She was relieved that Finn and Poe were alright, but she was most relief that Ben was finally with her. Slowly she pulls away to move back to his side. “He’s injured, I need to take him to the medbay.” 

“Rey why would you bring him here?!” Finn looks at Ben in distrust. 

“Why are you even with him?” Poe is angered but confused as well.

“Who do you think saved me? Saved us?!” She presses closer to Ben. “Please, no one else knows who he is, just… once he’s fine we’ll leave.”

“Rey…” All three men say at once. 

“Look we’ll talk about it all later!” She huffs and forces Ben towards the medbay. 

People greeted Rey warmly as she went by, some nodding others hugging her and just looking at the man with her curiously. No one seemed to recognize who he was, which was a good thing really. But there were a few who knew… Just then they found themselves enveloped into a bone-crushing hug. 

“Chewie!” Rey chuckles. “I’m so glad to see you’re alright.” 

“Yeah yeah, we’re fine.” Ben smiles gently, making Rey smile. She hopes to see more of that… Chewie then speaks lowly. 

“My mother?” Ben frowns and tenses against Rey’s side. 

“She woke up finally?” Rey’s eyes widen slightly and then she’s tugging Ben faster towards the medbay. 

They pause at the entrance. Rey grabs Ben’s hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. “Hey, it’ll all be okay. You know how long she’s been waiting for you to come home?” She tries to smile at him. 

“I don’t deserve this, Rey. I don’t deserve to see her again. I don’t deserve being here, being with you or Chewie or…” he sighs and closes his eyes for a moment. 

“Ben... “ Rey frowns. “You came back, that’s what matters right now.” She tugs him in, towards the medical bed where Leia laid. She looked even more exhausted than them, but she was smiling at her son, and Rey could see the love in her eyes. 

Ben let Rey lead him, but each step felt heavy, his heart so tight in pain. His eyesight blurred from the tears that threatened to spill over. She was smiling at him… the love he felt whenever she tried to reach him, was now overwhelming. He didn’t even realize when he knelt down in front of her, her hand in his as he cried. 

“I’m sorry Ben, I am so sorry for not being the mother you needed. But I needed you to know that I will always love you. You are Luke’s nephew and he loved you. You are Han Solo’s son and you’ve made him so proud.” She gently touched his face. “You are my Prince of Alderaan and I will always be with you, will always love you. And you are Anakin Skywalker’s grandson, if he found the light, I knew that you would again find it too.” Leia leans over to kiss her son’s head, shushing him when he tries to tell her he doesn’t deserve any of it. She then looks up at Rey who was standing a few feet away, tears streaming down her face as she held in her own sobs. 

“Rey, thank you for bringing my son home, take care of him.” Leia smiles warmly at Rey who nods and tries to wipe her tears away. 

“Ben, everyone has a little bit of darkness in them, but we can still be good people. Whenever you feel the dark consuming you, don’t be afraid, you are never alone.” 

Rey has to glance away as she feels Leia’s life force leaving her, she drops to her knees beside Ben and finally lets out the sobs she was holding. Ben held his mother’s hand until his hand was holding nothing but open air. Slowly he turns to glance at Rey, just when he thought no one truly understood him nor cared about him, she came into his life like a storm. And now he can’t picture any life without her. He slowly wraps his arm around her and pulls her into his chest. 

The dyad cried together until they are just silently holding each other. They’ve lost so much, been through so much pain, but they also have gained so much and they would always have each other.

\--- 

Chewie insisted that both had their wounds tended to and got some rest. 

After a few hours of sleep, Rey carefully slipped out of the small bed that Ben barely fit on. She wasn’t even sure how she was able to fit with him. Standing and putting her shoes on, she turns to watch his still sleeping form. They had said he may be out for hours, whatever he did to save and heal her took out a lot of force energy. She was just happy he was alive and she knew he would recover. Quietly she slips out of her private quarters to go find food, her stomach was growling so loudly. It’s what initially woke her, she’s surprised it did not wake Ben. 

Once she found something to eat she sat out in front of the Falcon, talking quietly to Chewie. He told her of his reunion with Ben and she told him of what happened on Exegol. 

“Rey.” 

She glances up to see a very concerned Finn. 

“We need to talk.” He motions for her to follow him. Rey nods, gently patting Chewie’s shoulder as she gets up and follows him and they walk through the jungle, through the course Rey used to train.

“Rey, we won at Exegol but the First Order is still out there, looking for their Supreme Leader. We can’t trust him…” 

“Finn, he left the First Order, he saved me, that isn’t Kylo Ren that’s Ben Solo! Remember the visions I told you of.”

“Those were just visions, Rey!”

“They weren’t, everything has been leading up to him, he was our last hope, the last Skywalker and he came through.”

“He’s a monster, Rey! I’ve seen the stuff he’s capable of!”

“Seen him or seen the First Order? Answer honestly!”

“I well... It’s not like he didn’t stop it! Why are you so infatuated with him Rey?! I don’t understand is it really just because he’s Leia’s son? You don’t have to save him, Rey you don’t owe him or the Skywalkers a damn thing, he isn’t a good-” 

“He and I are a dyad of the force!” She almost yells. 

“A-a what?” Finn looks at her in confusion. “Look you’ve been so caught up with him that you don’t even-”

“Don’t even know that your force sensitive?” She huffs and turns away from him. 

“Wait you knew?!” 

“Yes, for some time now…” She looks back at him then stops walking and sits on a boulder. 

“Why the hell didn’t you say anything? You-..”

“Look, Finn, it took me time to come to terms with the force in me, and I wanted to allow you the same. Wanted you to explore that when you were ready.”

“I… that makes sense… so wait, you and Kylo...”

“Ben…”

“And Ben... you’re a thing? How did that happen? I thought you hated him, you still didn’t answer me.”

“I told you we are connected… our life forces are one. He saved me back there, from death. Only he could have done that because he and I are a dyad. Forcemates…” It sounded weird to admit it to Finn when she and Ben had yet to discuss it. Sure they felt the acceptance through the bond but still, it was a heavy topic that she knew they needed to figure out and discuss. 

“So it’s more than a force bond?” Finn sighs out heavily and rubs his nape. “That makes things complicated.”

“It’s only complicated if you make it complicated. Look once he’s awake, him and I will leave.”

“WHAT?! You’re leaving with him?! Where to? Rey this is ridiculous.” 

“Finn, you should be able to feel it, through the force.” She grabs his hands. She didn’t know if he’d ever understood but she hoped that someday he would.

Finn just looks at her as if he’s giving her an ultimatum. “If we let him stay, you’ll stay.” 

Slowly Rey nods. “Don’t you want to learn more about the force? I can teach you some things but he can teach us both so much more.” 

“Oh, no way! I’m not letting him teach me!” 

“Let who teach what?” Poe and BB-8 suddenly emerge from the trees. “Where have you two been? I’ve been looking everywhere it isn’t until I heard loud yapping that BB-8 led me to ya guys.” He shakes his head. 

“Rey was just telling me about what happen on Exegol.” Finn crosses his arms. 

Rey groans and leans back slightly as she prepares to debrief them both once again on what happened and why she was set on letting Ben stay. 

“How do you know we can trust him? He threw his red saber away and doesn’t call himself Kylo Ren anymore, big whoop! That doesn’t erase all the shitty things he’s done, Rey.” Poe shakes his head.

“Trust me, he’s been paying for his sins.” She says quietly as she rubs her wrist. She had seen the nightmares and thoughts that plague his mind. 

“Oh, the poor baby has nightmares about his atrocities? Good!” Poe growled. 

Rey suddenly stands and looks out towards the base. He was awake…

“I don’t have time for this. As I told Finn, if you want us gone, we’ll leave.” She grumbles before rushing back to base. 

\-----

Gasping for air, Ben suddenly jolts up and looks around. It takes him a moment to calm down and realize where he was. Rey’s small living quarters. Her staff was propped against the wall, some of her clothes and boots were sprawled about. But no sign of her. He sighs and slowly lays back down, trying to relax, but then his stomach growled painfully. How long was he out for? After a few moments, he slowly sits up then looks at the door just before Rey comes in. 

She smiles gently as she walks over with a tray of food. 

“Hey.” She sits next to him then holds the tray out to him. 

“Hey…” He gently takes it and slowly begins to eat. “Thank you, you didn’t have to do anything of this.” 

“Of course I did, you… your mom deserved to see you one more time, Ben.” Rey gently places her hand on his arm as he sets the tray aside. 

“I didn’t deserve to see her though.” 

“Don’t… look we are both still tired and you still look like crap.” She chuckles softly. “Just let yourself recoup, please… for me.” 

“Rey, I don’t belong here.” He shakes his head.

“Yes, you do!” Rey takes his hand. “It’s what Han and Leia wanted… I’ve seen what good you’re capable of, you just have to show everyone else.” 

“Hux is probably going to hunt me down, I’ll only be putting you and your friends in danger.”

“He’s going to hunt us down anyway.” 

“Ben… did you really just save my life so we could go our separate ways?” 

“To be honest I didn’t think I was going to make it out of Exegol alive, I just needed to make sure you did. I just-” 

He’s cut off when Rey suddenly grabs his face and kisses him deeply. The breath seems to be sucked out of him and he’s frozen but that only lasts a moment. She is then pulled onto his lap as he kisses back just as deeply. His arms coming around her small frame to hold her in place. Their hearts seem to be pounding in unison as they get lost in their passionate kiss. As if they had been suppressing this need and hunger for each other for so long. They kiss until they both have to pull away to breathe. 

Rey smiles warmly at him and then chuckles happily when he returns the smile at her. She loved his smile. It made her feel fuzzy and warm inside. Ben chuckles too and it only makes her even happier, the sound of it was everything! She leans into his shoulder and sighs in content. 

“Finn and I need a teacher.”

“What?” He snorts and pulls her back to see her face. 

“I know FN-2187 is force sensitive but-”

“It’s Finn! Wait you knew?!” 

“Yeah…”

“For how long.”

“Hmm, since the first time I saw him. Force sensitivity is rare but not that rare, Rey.”

“See! You know so much more than me still. Sure I learned some stuff from Luke and Leia but it was always so rushed and…” She sighs softly and gently touches his face.

“And what?”

“I think Ben Solo would make a good teacher.”

“I’m no Jedi Master, Rey.” He slowly glanced away.

“No, forget the Jedi of the past, we can do something different. We are different.” 

Ben just looks at her with a soft expression. He wants to tell her yes, that he’d do anything she wanted him to do, but could he actually be a teacher? He could at least help her and her friend train… While he figured out his life now. He had to atone, had to do right but all he wanted was to be by Rey’s side, he didn’t deserve that. Not yet… But if she wanted him with her, how could he deny her? He could help them against the First Order, he had the intel but would anyone aside from Rey ever trust him? At this point, he had no choice but to trust Rey. He knew if he tried to leave she would only follow. 

It seems both were coming to the realization that they needed and wanted each other in a multitude of ways. 

“Alright, we’ll figure this out.” He sighs. 

“Together!”

“Yes, together.” 

**  
  
  
**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah I think Hux will play a big part later on. Also, I kept thinking of that seen in TFA when Kylo looks at Finn. I've made a little scenario in my head that he may have sensed the force in him and made a mental note of them as a possible recruitment for the Knights of Ren. 
> 
> I'm just sort of just going with the flow with this fic but I am enjoying writing it and will try to update at least twice a week maybe more if I can keep the creative flow going. 
> 
> Thanks, ya'll for reading!!


	3. Not Yet a Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So Ben is trying to impress Rey by doing missions with her friends? Poe and Finn aren't easily impressed though, things do not go well... 
> 
> Finn is also kind of a cockblock, but Ben may have found a friend in Rose and the Resistance may be warming up to him.

Wiping the blood from his nose and mouth, Ben continues walking through the humid jungle, so that mission had been a major fail. It’s not like he expected things to be easy for him, they never have and they never will be. He didn’t deserve easy anyway. Maybe he should have not insisted on Rey to stay behind. Then again it isn’t entirely his fault her friends are idiots. Maybe they were all idiots...

**-Earlier that day-**

“So this First Order Base is operated by droids only?” Finn stares down as they arrive into the hangar. 

“Yes.” Ben had input the code to allow them access to land the Falcon. 

“I can log into the system to see what Hux is planning, and you two can gather some supplies.” Ben gets up from the co-pilot seat as Poe finally lands the ship. 

“Why didn’t I ever know about this place?” 

“FN-2187 was definitely not on the priority list of knowing all of the First Order’s information.” Ben sighs as he tosses a blaster to Finn and then one to Poe before they carefully descend the ramp. Ben leads the way, where they won’t be spotted by any of the droids. Any droid that does cross their path is zapped by BB-8 and immediately put into sleep mode. 

The droid beeps at Ben, who grins and nods. “I told you that modification would come in handy.”

Poe rolls his eyes. “Traitor.” He whispers to BB-8. 

Ben had previously given the layout information to BB-8 so that he could lead Finn and Poe to the supply room. 

“Meet back at the ship, go in there get what we need and get out, do not engage any droid, do not wander. In and out! Understood?” Ben explains as he waves a finger at them. 

“Finn and I can handle this.” Poe grumbled.

“Yeah, now go do you.” Finn shoos him. 

Ben sighs and turns the opposite direction towards the main control room. It’s easy enough for the ex-Jedi and ex-Master of the Knights of Ren to get around the droids and into the room. He first checks the cameras to see if Finn and Poe were sticking to the plan. He sighs out when he sees that they were in the supply room already and were gathering items. So then he gets to work. Logging in, he goes through the data. 

Hux was building another Starkiller base? Well, that’s not surprising. Shit…. It’s almost done. Where? Bracca, Fondor, Mustafar…. Not just one but three? He was also gathering more allies, more… oh, he needed to download this information. He inserts the chip BB-8 gave him and then turns to the cameras again. 

Oh… great!

Those two idiots had gone exploring to a different section of the base…. He growls as he sees them on the cameras running, yelling and shooting at… he squints his eyes until they come into view. 

“Kriff!” He slams his hand down on the control panel then glanced over at the progress of information download. It wasn’t even close to being done but if he did nothing, those idiots would die. 

\----

“That kriffing liar! I bet he set us up!” Poe turns to shoot behind him as they run. 

“Can we just worry about making it out of here alive?!” Finn yells back as he too turns to fire some blasts. Not that they were effective. 

The three Knights of Ren continued their pursuit. BB-8 rolled ahead of them, leading the way back to the ship. Just as they were about to reach the hanger, another Knight of Ren blocked the pathway. 

“Well, this is fantastic.” Poe sighed. Just as the four moved in to strike, blasts are heard behind the three original pursuers. 

  
  
  


Ben slid into view, blaster in hand, shooting precisely to hit the three Knights. It worked as a distraction but their armor seemed unaffected. Putting his blaster away as they rush towards him, he then ignites the legacy saber and rushes forward. 

“GO!” He booms at Finn, Poe, and BB-8 as he force pushes the one that stood in their way. 

Ben then jumps to land in front of the doorway to the hangar, blocking the attackers. “It’s me you want isn’t it?”

“Hux wants you and all your new friends dead. You can stop pretending to be a hero. Your hands will forever be stained. You can never escape the darkness in you, the darkness that you are.” Vicrul laughed as he stepped towards Ben. 

Ben lifts his lightsaber and brings it down harshly against Vicrul, who counters the blow with his phrik scythe. 

\---

Poe, Finn, and BB-8 rush into the Falcon. Poe immediately gets the ship ready for take-off. 

“We should probably go to help him.” Finn groans in annoyance when Ben hadn’t returned. 

“Kriff no! Let’s leave his ass, this is his fault anyway.”

To Poe’s shock, BB-8 zaps him then starts to roll out of the Falcon to go help, Ben. 

“Rey will never forgive us, Poe!” Finn gives him a look before going to help BB-8. 

  
  


As BB-8 rolls out of the ramp, two of the Knights are on the floor, but Ben was still fighting the other two. He beeps loudly to get Ben’s attention. Meanwhile, Finn throws a flash grenade he found in the supply room.

“COME ON!” He yells at Ben just as the grenade was about to land. 

Ben force pushes his opponents back then runs towards them. The bomb explodes with a loud boom, blinding even them for a moment but they kept running anyway. Once inside, BB-8 shuts the ramp and beeps at Poe, who immediately punches it out of there. 

Ben and Finn lay there panting and trying to refocus their vision. 

“THIS IS BAD!” Poe yells out. 

Ben quickly gets up only to slam down onto the floor again as the ship jerked violently. He gets up again and struggles to get into the cockpit, slamming into a seat with a painful groan. The tall man then looks up to see they were being pursued by TIE fighters. He’s about to sit in the co-pilot seat when he falls over again, then he realizes what Poe was doing. 

“ARE YOU HYPERSPEED SKIPPING?!” Ben roars and then suddenly pulls Poe out of the pilot’s seat and sits down. 

“We aren’t going to get away like that, you’re going to get us killed!” He growled and ignored the angry short pilot cursing at him. 

Finn finally makes it and sits down to buckle up. “What the kriff is happening…” he whines and BB-8 just beeps trying to reassure them all of their good teamwork. 

\---- 

Luckily they made it back to the Resistance Base after Ben made sure for the hundredth time that they were not being followed. 

The three men stepped out of the ramp, arguing and yelling. BB-8 meanwhile rolled past them to go find Rey. 

“You almost destroyed the Falcon!” Ben countered against Poe.

“You said there would only be droids!” Finn reminded him. 

“You could have gotten us killed!” Poe shoved Ben. “And to make things worse, WHERE IS THAT INFORMATION YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO GET?”

“I got a good look, enough to-”

“AND WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE YOU?” 

“WELL EXCUSE ME FOR HAVING TO GO SAVE YOUR ASSES!” Ben finally snapped. 

The short pilot then punches him right in the face. 

But instead of exploding with anger, Ben just chuckles bitterly and shakes his head. Finn grabs Poe and tells him to calm down, while Ben turns to walk away from the base and into the green lush forest. 

\---

Rey stops the repairs she’s doing on an X-Wing, she sensed Ben… Did they return? She then jumps down when she hears the familiar beeps of BB-8. 

“They’re back?!” She smiles and rushes towards the Falcon. But then frowns when she sees Poe and Finn arguing as they bring down the little supplies they managed to get. 

“Where’s Ben?” 

“The Kriff if I know, that asshole nearly got us-”

BB-8 beeps at Rey. Finn then quickly explains the main events of what happened.

“YOU HYPERSPEED SKIPPED AGAIN?” 

“WE ALMOST DIED!”

“WHERE IS BEN?!” 

“Rey…” Finn gently grabs her hand, but she yanked it away. “He went to get some fresh air, it was a bumpy ride.” He points in the direction Ben went into forest. 

She gives Finn a nod then heads in that direction, following the bond to where Ben was. 

\----

Ben walked until he came to a familiar waterfall. Rey had shown him the place a few days ago, it was a good place to meditate. 

Hopping over a few stones he gets to the large flat stone in the middle of the river and sits with the legacy lightsaber in his lap. 

Inhaling deeply, he places his hands over the saber and closes his eyes. 

“Grandfather... I know I must pay for my past mistakes, I will take whatever pain and misery I must, but I don’t want her to suffer for my sake. I don’t want any of them to suffer because of me. I think they are better off without me.” 

_ “Ben, you already know what you must do, and you already know you have the strength to do it. She will help you.” _

Ben opened his eyes and sees Rey approaching him, she easily jumps the stones and lands right in front of him, crouching down to gently touch his bruised lip. He smiles gently up at her and grabs her hands. “I’m fine, Rey.” 

“I know, but still, I’m sorry.” She sits in front of him. “So at least you guys got some supplies, and the Falcon made it back in one piece and not on fire, thanks to you.” 

Ben laughs and nods. “Yeah your General already hates me so don’t tell him this, but he’s a horrible pilot, at least when it comes to flying the Falcon. My father would…” 

“Yeah, kill him.” She laughs and leans in slightly, her hand running through his dark locks. “Finn said you managed to get some information.” 

“Hux is building three Starkiller bases.” His expression was now grim. “One is basically complete and I am not sure of the status of the others. But one is on or near Mustafar if he managed to recruit the Vader cultists…” he sighs and shakes his head. 

“You guys need to start negotiations with all the allies you know and now have, they need to be prepared for the worst. And you need to build up your alliances. The Resistance needs to appear to have it together to have everyone’s interests in mind, not just appear as some extremist group that is only focused on destroying the First Order. My mother’s main objective was never that, it was to protect the galaxy from dictatorships like the Empire and the First Order. And-” Ben stops talking realizing he had no right to give them advice. 

Rey was smiling warmly at him. “Ben, you’re a lot like them you know?” 

“My parents?” He scoffs and shakes his head.

“Everything you said, you’re right, you should be telling everyone. They should listen to you because you know both sides better than anyone else and you-”

“Rey! You know they won’t listen to me.” he sighs. “I don’t blame them…”

Rey sighs and just nods then leans up to kiss his forehead. “I’ll talk to them, and tell them what you told me about the Starkiller bases.” She then slowly gets up. She offers him her hand. 

He stares at it and smiles then takes it and gets up. Maybe he had a long way to go but at least he had Rey to help him. 

\--

Once everyone had dinner, General Dameron had all the important people gather for a debriefing. Rey sat with her arms crossed as he and Finn explained what they had learned from their mission. 

“And what about the information from Ben Solo?” Maz’s voice boomed. 

“He wasn’t able to download the data.” Poe sighs and placed his hands on his hips.

“He told me what he learned though, he was able to see some data and information.” Rey stands. “I can tell you what he told me, but I think you should all hear it from him.”

“What if his information is false, trying to deceive us.” 

“I think we should still hear this information. It could still be useful.”

“Can we trust him?”

“He is Leia’s son.” 

“Who killed Han Solo!” 

“He was under Palpatine’s control.” 

“He saved Rey and helped defeat the Emperor.” 

“Still doesn’t erase what he’s done!” 

Finn suddenly stood. “I used to be a stormtrooper, I had been raised and trained to kill for the First Order. I did everything they told me, because I was scared, because what could I do against the First Order? But then hope came to me in the form of a certain Resistance Pilot.” Finn smiles towards the General. “I finally had a way out, so I made a choice. I believe Kylo, I mean Ben had a similar change of heart. Snoke or the Emperor was more powerful than him, or so he thought, and Rey gave him the chance to finally choose for himself.” 

Everyone hummed and spoke softly amongst each other. 

“I know not everyone trusts him yet, but no one here knows the First Order nor Hux as well as Ben, we would be fools not to listen to what he knows. If you trust me, you can trust him.” Rey nods and then smiles widely at Finn, mouthing the words thank you. 

\---

Ben sat outside the Falcon as a few mechanics worked on the damage the reckless General caused. He was adding some modifications to the droid known as D.O. 

He had seen the droid approach others. “Hi.” It would say, and then “N-no no-no thanks!” Anytime anyone would approach too closely or try and grab it. The droid was wary of most people but for some reason, it took a liking to him.”Hi,” It had told Ben on his first day here. Ben crouched down and slowly offered his hand. “I’m Ben.” And the droid let him grab it. 

He hadn’t even realized he still enjoyed tinkering with stuff, but then again how would he have known if he never had time while in the First Order. 

“Hey, you!” 

Ben looks up and sees Rose standing a few feet from him. “You’re tall, I need help putting that panel back on.” She points. 

He sets the droid down carefully then walks over to lift the panel into place. 

“Yup! Right there, just hold it still and…. There!” 

Both step back. “Not bad…” Ben nods and Rose grins. Rose was one of the few people who seemed to be talking to him as if he was just another member of the Resistance. Sure she corned him on one of his first nights to give him some weird talk about killing him if he hurt Rey, but she meant well, he knew that. 

“Master Ben.” C3PO came into view and they both looked over. 

“Your presence has been requested by the General.”

Ben sighed. “Could you put the droid back together for me if I’m not back soon?” He asks Rose. 

She nods. “Good luck…” 

-

  
Everyone turns to stare as the tall, dark-haired man when he stepped into the room. 

“Ben Solo, we’d like you to inform us of the information you learned today.” Maz cuts to the chase. 

So he does that, Ben not only gives them the information he learned today but all he knew about Hux and his army. About the allies of the First Order and the allies that they would most likely aim for next. He then gives them suggestions for alliances they should try and form, he tells them of what he told Rey about how to appeal to others and about their image. 

And everyone listened, some countered, others asked more questions but overall everyone seemed pleased with the information he gave. 

And finally, the General concluded their meeting. 

\--

Rey gets caught talking to a few people on the way out of the meeting, but she catches Ben’s small smile and nod. 

_ ‘My room.’ _ She sends through the bond, trying not to smirk. 

_ ‘Oh? Is that an invitation or demand?’  _

_ ‘Ben…’ _

_ ‘Your babysitter will kill me, there’s a reason he made the general give me my own room.’  _

_ ‘Ben!’  _

_ ‘I’ll be there!’  _

_ ‘Good!’ _

Rey was a bit disappointed when Ben moved into his own living quarters but she did not question it when Ben agreed. They had yet to talk about their bond, or whatever their relationship was. They both told Finn that they were just friends, but they definitely weren’t just friends… 

A dyad… What exactly did that mean for them? Forcemates… She stops overthinking it as she is finally able to go to her room. 

She snorts as she opens the door and finds Ben sprawled out on her bed. Quickly closing the door behind her she jumps onto him. He catches her with a grunt and laughs. Oh, she loved the sound of his laugh, his smile, his voice when he softly spoke to her. She… 

He suddenly kisses her and she feels so light and warm. Their first few kissed had always been initiated by her, he never made the first move, even if his eyes said he wanted her, wanted to kiss her. He’d always wait for her to initiate any sort of affection until she had to bluntly tell him two days ago that he could indeed kiss her, that she did not mind his affection. 

Smiling against his lips as she cups his face and kisses back gently. Their lips mold to each other, her mouth parting as his tongue sweeps over her lower lip. She then feels his tongue against hers and groans softly, his hands rubbing her lower back, only making her feel warmer. They kissed until they both had to pull away to breathe, his lips don’t stop though, his kisses trail down her neck as she catches her breath. “Ben…” 

He grabs her waist tightly in response to the way she says his name. His mouth covering her neck in kisses, he trails down to her exposed collarbone. Grazing his teeth over her skin, making her gasp and grip his shoulders. Ben’s fingers slip under her shirt to rub against her smooth stomach and hips. Rey is tugging her shirt up when there are suddenly several loud knocks on the door. 

“REY!” 

They both groan, Ben rolls his eyes. 

“Let’s just ignore it.” Rey tugs him into a kiss. “Pretend I’m asleep.” 

“Reyyyyy!”

“You know he won’t stop.” Ben pushes her down gently and gets up. She tugs at his arm but it’s no use, he easily escapes her grip and opens the door. 

Finn looks shocked to see him, which makes him smirk. 

“What the kriff are you doing in here?! Where’s Rey?” Finn tries to push past him, but Ben blocks the doorway, it isn’t that hard with his body stature. 

“She’s getting ready for bed, is this really that urgent?” Ben sighs. 

“Then why are you here?” 

Ben just glares at the shorter man. 

“You have your own damn living quarters go sleep there, you creepy -” 

Rey then poked her head under Ben’s arm. 

“Finn! Seriously, I’m fine, I asked Ben to come, we are discussing… Force stuff… you know Force bond stuff.” She gives him her own glare. 

“Seriously Rey? I was going to ask if you wanted to-” 

“Finn! Come on! If Rey wanted to come she would have. I already had told her! Poe and Jannah are waiting!” Rose suddenly appeared and was tugging Finn away. 

“Goodnight!” Rose smiles at the dyad and then they disappear. 

Ben closes the door then turns to Rey, who was now blushing. 

“Rose is probably the only person here who doesn’t straight out hate me.” Ben smiles at her. 

Rey laughs as she goes into the refresher to change into comfortable clothes to sleep in. 

When she comes out, Ben was already half asleep in her bed. She tries to lay next to him without waking him but he was light a sleeper sometimes. Ben opens one eye and wraps an arm around her, pulling her close. Rey smiles and presses closer into him, gently kissing his nose before nuzzling against his chest. She feels his lips on her head as she slowly succumbs to sleep. 

_ ‘Goodnight’ _ His voice hums in her head. 

_ ‘Goodnight, Ben.’ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it's been a few days. Had some muse today so I wrote finally. I hope to be updating more frequently. And yeah some smut will come eventually haha I kind of like the softness of Rey and Ben figuring things out slowly though, and Ben being an absolute understanding, gentle and tall good boy who is patient and only cares about Rey and not about sex. 
> 
> Also hoping to include Rose a lot more in future chapters, and possibly Jannah.


	4. From the Will of my Grandfather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey needs help training Finn, but Ben is not about that Jedi Master life. 
> 
> But his grandfather has a lot of faith and hope for Ben and future force users. 
> 
> Yes, Force ghost Anakin pays his grandson a visit and it is emotional.

Inhaling deeply, then exhaling… There’s a buzz of sound and Ben lifts his lightsaber just in time to block the blast from the training droid. It zooms towards him and he backflips over it, then force pushes it into a tree. These weren’t a challenge, not for him, not anymore. He needed an actual challenge, and he knew only Rey could give him that. 

But Rey was busy helping Finn. She had asked Ben to train Finn and of course, he declined. Who did they really think he was? Or what did they think he was capable of? He was no Skywalker, at least not like Luke or his grandfather. He did not deserve to be a Jedi master. He meant it when he said he was done with the Jedi and the Sith. Now he only needed the power to protect Rey and her friends. And besides, he knew that the ex-stormtrooper wanted nothing to do with him anyway. Sure he was more civil towards him now but that did not mean they were suddenly best friends. Poe and Finn still very much hated him. 

Ben sighs in frustration as the droid he forgot to turn off comes towards him again, he force pushes it so hard it goes flying and disappears into the jungle terrain. He turns to head back to base when he’s suddenly force pushed and falls face-first onto the ground. “What the kriff!” He growled and turned sharply.

“You need a better challenge than some training droid right?” A Force ghost, clad in black robes, with long locks similar to his, grinned down at him. 

Ben stared in shock, he had heard the voice a few times now but he had never seen Anakin Skywalker. Perhaps he had in his dreams or visions but not like this. After years of speaking to the Vader mask, this felt surreal. He …. didn’t know what feel exactly. That voice he had thought was his grandfather was always Snoke or Palpatine. To think what could have been if he actually had guidance from his real grandfather.

“Grandfather…” Ben quickly stood up.

“Ben.” Anakin smiled and strode towards him, barely giving them time to react as he swung his lightsaber. 

Ben grunts as he barely blocks the blow, his eyes still wide in disbelief. Why now? After years and years of feeling so alone. After years of hearing voices in his head, Snoke’s and Palpatine’s but never actually his grandfather’s. And again the realization hit. Not once when he needed it did he hear the true voice of the man he had looked up to so much, not until it was too late. 

Anakin frowned slightly, seeing the hurt play out in his grandson’s face. 

“Don’t look at me like that!” Ben growled and this time he was the one who swung. He felt that familiar anger filling him, fueling him. Anakin easily blocked the blow and parried with a wide swing over Ben’s head. 

“You all gave up on me.” Ben blocked the blow. “I had no one! No one but myself, until Rey came along.” 

“That isn’t true. Snoke and Palpatine were strong with their pull over you to the Dark but I still like to think I was stronger, you were stronger.” Anakin grabs the hilt of the legacy saber just as Ben tries to swing again. Anakin’s hand gripped theirs tightly as he gazes deep into their eyes. 

Ben gasps at the sudden contact, images of the past and future flowing through him. 

_ ‘Forgive me, Grandfather, for I feel it again, the pull to the light.’  _

_ Ben saw himself kneeling down in front of Vader’s mask. And behind him, he saw Anakin looking at him with what looked like anguish. Anakin had tears streaming down his face as he placed his hands on Kylo Ren’s shoulders and leaned down to kiss the top of his grandson’s head. ‘I know you can’t hear me Ben, but I see the light in you, I know you feel it. You are not like me, you are stronger, you are not like the Jedi no, but you are no sith. You are more powerful, more powerful than Snoke and that’s why he tries to control you. Ben… I’m with you, always.’  _

_ The force ghost he never saw… _

_ He sees countless flashbacks of Kylo Ren’s weakest moments. The moments when he couldn’t bring himself to do Snoke’s biddings, the moment he killed his father, the moment he couldn't bring himself to kill his mother, every single time he felt Ben Solo remerging. Anakin Skywalker was standing beside him. _

The pull to the light he felt his whole life was Anakin…. ?

Ben’s lip trembled as he stepped back. For a brief moment behind Anakin, he saw a few other figures, his mother, Luke, and another man in light robes…. Obi-Wan. But then it was just Anakin standing before him, so solid he almost forgot they were just a Force ghost. Before he could step back, his grandfather suddenly pulled them into a hug. 

Ben tensed but then slowly he felt his walls crumbling down. He hugs his grandfather tightly, closing his eyes as he feels the tears threatening to spill. “You’re never alone, Ben. And it’s never too late, even for me it wasn’t too late, I just wished I had learned sooner.” 

“I can’t be what they want me to be.” Ben slowly regains his composure and slowly pulls away. “I’m not some Master Skywalker like-”

“No, Ben you’re not. You are a Skywalker, but the better ones, the best of us all really. But you are not me nor Luke. You’re you…. You know the dark, and you know the light! Imagine what you can do for others! Teach them of your mistakes, teach them to be better! With the light and dark you have true balance! You and Rey have the power to build something new, something better! You know what you have to do! And you do have the strength to do it!” Anakin grabbed Ben’s shoulders as he smiled warmly. “You’ve always known.”

And he did. Perhaps that is why he never wanted to go down the path of a Jedi. Like his father, he wanted to run away from it all, from his power. A pilot would have been such an easier life. But also like his father he did not have the heart to run away from those who needed him. Like Han, he knew what was right. And now with Rey…. his dyad, now he can’t imagine it any other way. Anakin was right, he knew. He was no hero, but he knew he had the power to do what was right. To be that Ben Solo that Rey saw him as. It wouldn’t be easy but nothing in life was. At least now he knows he’ll never be alone.

Seeing the resolve in his grandson’s face, Anakin smiles and nods gently. 

“Now, how about that really challenge you were looking for?” Anakin stepped back and reignited his lightsaber. 

Ben is shaking his head in amusement and can’t hide the small grin that forms at the corner of his lips. He too ignites his lightsaber.

“My lightsaber suits you well.” Anakin winks before rushing towards him. 

\------

Rey had been a bit hesitant to show Finn this place. The waterfall she and Ben often used to meditate, but in the end, Ben had suggested it when she asked where to start training with Finn. 

She sat on a rock beside Finn, trying to gently instruct him, the way Luke had instructed her. But it didn’t seem to be working. All Finn felt was Rey and Ben through the force. He didn’t feel the force in nature and the force itself among them. 

“Okay Rey, but like if you could tell me exactly what I’m supposed to feel or sense this might go quicker.” He opens his eyes to look at her in slight frustration. 

“If I tell you, it won’t work. You have to just… feel it.” Rey sighs and slumps slightly. She was a horrible teacher. “Finn, I’m sorry I’m not really good at this, I want to help but it may take me time as well.” 

“It’s fine, let’s just try again?” Finn offers her a gentle smile and then he sits up straight and closes his eyes again, concentrating he inhales deeply and tries to reach out with the force. 

The rock he was sitting on trembled slightly. 

“Oh… I think I feel something!” He gasped “It’s like everything is moving and-” 

He opens his eyes when he hears Rey yelp in surprise. 

“What the kriff!” 

Finn sees Ben standing some distance away, his arm outstretched towards them.

He had lifted the rocks they were sitting on and was pulling them towards him. Once they were in front of him he gently sets them down. 

Rey was smiling widely at Ben. 

“You two ready for some real force training?” Ben grins.

“Was that really necessary though?” Finn rolls his eyes. “Show off.”

“We are ready, Master Solo! Or should I call you Master Skywalker?” Rey teased. 

“Don’t call me that!” Ben groans and shakes his head. 

“Yeah, I’m definitely not calling him Master.” Finn shakes his head. 

Ben just goes over and forces Finn to sit on the ground. “Sit and close your eyes!” 

Rey watches curiously and sits nearby. 

“Put your hand on the ground, feel the dirt and plants.” He sits a few feet away in front of Finn with a small rock in his hands. “Now reach out….” 

It takes a few silent minutes but finally Finn’s brows relax and he smiles slightly. He felt it, the force all around him, the living creatures and the planet itself. He almost gasped at how overwhelming it was. Ben asks specific questions so he can focus on certain things. “Now focus on my force signature.” 

Finn who still had his eyes closed just nods. 

Ben suddenly throws the rock at Finn’s face. Rey’s eyes widen as she’s about to warn Finn but to her shock, he catches the rock right before it was about to smack into his face. 

“Really?!” Finn opens his eyes and glares at Ben.

“What? I knew you’d catch it.” 

“And if I didn’t?!” 

“Then you would have had a nasty black eye.” Ben just shrugs and stands. 

“I think that’s enough for today. Practice meditating, we’ll continue tomorrow.” He pats Finn’s shoulder. 

“Good I’m beat anyway, I’ll see you two for lunch.” Finn waves at them both before disappearing through the thick jungle. 

Rey had her arms crossed and was grinning at Ben. 

“What?” He asks and can’t help but smile back at her. 

“I knew you’d make a good teacher.” She closes the distance between them and stands on her toes to kiss his cheek. 

Ben just smiles and leans into the kiss briefly. 

“I had some encouragement and training today.” 

“Luke?” Rey’s eyes widen in curiosity. The Force ghosts have shown up for her too, but she couldn’t deny she was glad to hear that they were also there when Ben needed them too. 

Ben shakes his head. “My Grandfather…” 

Sensing the emotions swirling through the bond, Rey gently places her hand on his cheek. 

“Remember when you told me I wasn’t alone and I told you neither were you?” 

“Yes, I know…” Ben chuckles softly and nods, knowing what she was getting at. “I’ve never been alone just like you’ll never ever be alone, Rey.” He grabs her hands and Rey gently squeezes back. 

“So are you all tuckered out or do you want to show me what Anakin taught you?” She grins and slowly steps away and grabs her lightsaber. 

“Oh, you of all people should know I’m not easy to tucker out,” Ben smirks, igniting his saber and giving a small shrug before blocking Rey’s blow. 

There was nothing quite as exhilarating as sparring with each other. It was like a dance only they knew how to do with each other. 

The dyad sparred until Finn showed up again, scolding them for missing lunch. 

“So I see how it is! You two are doing secret Jedi training without me! Just because I’m not that strong with the force yet, just you two wait and see!” Finn grumbles a few feet ahead of them as they all head back to base.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this is much shorter than I would have liked. I started my new school semester but I hope to have longer chapters for the next few.

**Author's Note:**

> So this will most likely be a short series, I'm not sure how many chapters but I just needed more redeemed Ben Solo. Both he and Rey deserved a much better happy ending. Not that this fic will be all sunshine and rainbows. 
> 
> The next chapter will be about Rey trying to convince Ben to come back to the Resistance with her. And how Ben must face the consequences of his past mistakes. The Knights of Ren may also reappear since they were not shown enough in the movie.


End file.
